Shut-off fuel tap for motor vehicles or the like

ABSTRACT

A shut-off fuel tap which has a fuel plug interposed in the fuel line and which plug can be turned by a key insertable in a lock cylinder. The fuel tap includes sealing means between the shutoff plug and the lock cylinder which prevents escape of vapors or the like from the fuel line. The shut-off plug can be easily removed by means of an end plug in the fuel tap assembly and thereby facilitates cleaning and repair of the shut-off plug.

United States Patent [191 Hubenthal 51 May 8, 1973 S FUEL TAP FOR MOTORi,70o,474 1 1929 Dunn ..137/3s4.2 VEHICLES OR THE L 2,006,027 1 1935Moore ..137 384.2

[76] Inventor: Aloys Hubenthal, Hirschbergstr asse l9, Munich, GePrimary Examiner-Henry T. Klinksiek [22] Filed: y 1971 Attorney--JamesE. Nilles [21] Appl. No.: 141,671 [57] ABSTRACT A shut-off fuel tapwhich has a fuel plug interposed in [30] F 8 Appllcamm Priority Data thefuel line and which plug can be turned by a key in- May 13, 1970Switzerland ..7076 name a lock cylinder The fuel includes Seal ing meansbetween the shut-off plug and the lock [52] U.S. Cl .Q ..l37/384.2 y derwhich prevents escape of vapors or the like [51] Int. Cl ..Fl6k 35/10from the fuel line. The shut-off plug can be easily [58] Field of Search..l37/35l355, 383-385 removed by means of an end plug in the fuel tapassembly and thereby facilitates cleaning and repair of the shut-offplug. [56] References Cited 9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,416,807 5 1922 Fisher ..137/384.2

ELL A i A Fl Patented May 8, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

INVENTOR B f/Ufif/V 7777/1 If 'r SHUT-OFF FUEL TAP FOR MOTOR VEHICLES ORTHE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to ashut-off fuel tap for motor vehicles or the like, and having a housingcontaining a lock cylinder fitted coaxially in relation to a shut-offplug, one end of the lock cylinder containing a hole for the insertionof a key and also a locking com- 1 ponent turned by the key and coupledto the shut-off plug. These taps prevent fuel from being withdrawn fromtanks by unauthorized persons and more particularly prevent or at leastrender more difficult the unauthorized use or the theft of a motorvehicle.

Prior art lock cylinders for taps of this type are mounted lengthwiseand arranged to turn within the tap housing, and these cylinders alsoconstitute the locking component coupled to the shut-off plug. When thisis in the Off position, a pin that can be moved radially out of theperipheral face of the lock cylinder engages in a corresponding recessin the tap housing. The disadvantage of this prior art fuel tap is thatthe housing wall surrounding the lock cylinder can be broken openoutwardly with a suitable tool, such as a chisel, without muchexpenditure of energy or time, so that the shutoff becomes ineffective.Since the fuel tap, when fitted to a motor vehicle, must be accessiblefrom the vehicle interior, there is a risk, even when the lock cylinderforms a very close fit as it turns in the tap housing, that fuel vaporarising within the latter may escape into the interior of the vehicle.Therefore, this type of prior art fuel tap also constitutes a danger tothe occupants.

Another prior art safety device for preventing the misuse orunauthorized use of a motor vehicle consists of a flap valve inserted inthe fuel feed pipe to the engine, which can be locked in the offposition by a lock cylinder of ordinary commercial type, and which isfitted with its longitudinal center line parallel to the valve spindle.At the end remote from that end containing the hole for the key, aportion of the rotary locking component, smaller in diameter than thesaid end, extends beyond the lock cylinder, which is held againstturning in relation to the tap housing, and engages with teeth on thevalve spindle. The means by which relative rotary motion is preventedbetween lock cylinder and tap housing is, however, very easy to undo, sothat this prior art safety device can likewise be put out of actionwithout much expenditure of time or effort.

Still another form of prior art fuel tap utilizes a tap housing having acap that turn in relation to the shut-off plug and contains a zig-zagopening shaped like the cross-section of a particular type key, forreceiving the key. The shut-off plug is widened in cross-section towardsthe rotary cap on the housing and contains, in the end that faces thekey, a slot into which the operative part of the key can be insertedwithout freedom to rotate in relation thereto. Should such a fuel tap befitted to a motor vehicle, the rotary cap on the housing must beaccessible from inside the vehicle. However, this makes it possible forthe rotary cap to be forced off the housing without great expenditure oftime or effort, leaving the plug exposed. This can then be extractedfrom within the vehicle and replaced after being turned to a positionsuch that the fuel flow is unimpeded. It follows from this that theprotection afforded by this prior art type of tap, again, is very easyto nullify, in addition to which there is likewise the risk, when thetap is fitted in a vehicle, of fuel vapor escaping from the tap housinginto the vehicle interior.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a fuel tap which makesinterference with the shut-off very difficult, or at least possible onlyby considerable expenditure of time and effort,

0 and enables the tap to be fitted in a motor vehicle without risk toits occupants. More specifically, a portion of the rotary lockingcomponent, situated at but smaller in diameter than that end of the lockcylinder which is remote from the keyhole, extends beyond the lockcylinder in the conventional manner, the cylinder being secured againstturning in relation to the tap housing, and that the projecting portionof the locking component, between the shut-off plug and that end of thelockcylinder which faces the cylinder, is sealed to, but can rotate inrelation to, the tap housing.

The construction of the present invention permits use of an inexpensivelock cylinder for shutting off the fuel tap, the shut-off action ofwhich it is difficult to nullify.

The invention also permits the seal, which located between the taphousing and that portion of the locking component which is smaller indiameter than and projects beyond the lock cylinder, to be given aseating made to close tolerances, since the frictional resistanceexerted by the said seating in opposition to rotation of the lockingcomponent can be overcome by the key without much effort, owing to thesmall diameter of the locking component. Nevertheless, when the fuel tapis installed in a motor vehicle, the seal between the tap housing andthe rotary locking component in the lock cylinder will prevent fuelvapor from escaping into the vehicle interior, thereby excluding allrisk to the occupants.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TI-IE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a mid plane suction of oneform of fuel tap embodying the principle of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a fuel tap ofmodified-design.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Generally, in one recommended formof the proposed fuel tap, the shut-off plug has an axially withdrawableplug-in connection to the rotary locking component in the lock cylinder,is separated from the latterby at least one partition in the housing,through a central hole in which the locking component passes, can bechanged for a replacement plug through a closable opening in that end ofthe tap housing which is remote from the lock cylinder, and bears,possibly through the agency of an interposed compression spring, againsta plug or stopper in the tap housing which plug can be removed only witha special tool. The plug in the housing, against which the shut-off plugbears, can be fitted without difficulty in a position outside anyvehicle in which the tap is installed, where it is accessible only withthe aid of the special tool. The partition in thetap housing, betweenthe lock cylinder and the shut-off plug, will prevent the latter frombeing removed and replaced in the On" position, even if a person withexpert knowledge of safety locks should succeed in withdrawing the lockcylinder from the tap housing.

To make it difflcult to remove the lock cylinder from the tap housing,from the keyhole end, the partition contains at least one hole throughwhich a screw can be introduced from the plug side and screwed into athread in the adjacent end of the lock cylinder.

A fuel tap such as shown in FIG. 1 has a cylindrical housing 1, carryingan external screwthread 2, onto which a fixing flange 3 is screwed andsecured against turning by a nut 5, and an interposed toothed lockwasher 4. The fixing flange 3 is bolted to a mounting plate 6 which maybe a floor plate in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, forexample, and through which the tap housing 1 passes. At the end remotefrom the fixing flange 3, the tap housing 1 has two pipe connections, bywhich it can be inserted in a fuel pipe 7. The fuel flow through thecasing 1 can be cut off by the shut-off plug 8. Coaxial with this plug,that end of the casing that carries the fixing flange contains a lockcylinder 9, the outer end face of which has a hole for the insertion ofa Yale-type key 10. This key can be used to turn a locking component 11,with the lock cylinder 9, the component 11 having a portion 11a, smallerin diameter than the lock cylinder, which extends through and can turnin relation to that end of the latter which lies towards the plug 8. Thesmall diameter portion 11a is connected to the plug 8 so as to beprevented from turning in relation to it by an axially withdrawableplug-in connection such as, for example, a stub 12 engaging in a recess8a in the plug.

The small diameter portion 11of the rotary lock component 11 is verycarefully sealed against the interior wall of the tap housing 1 by meanswhich will be described later, so as to prevent fuel vapor from escapingfrom the plug space in the tap housing 1, between the interior wall ofthe housing and the lock cylinder 9 or through the latter itself.

As can be seen from the drawing, the end of the tap housing 1 remotefrom the lock cylinder 9 is open and is fitted with a screw plug 14,which is sealed by a packing ring at 13 and can be undone only by theuse of a special tool. The shut-off plug 8 is held clear of this screwplug 14 by an interposed compression spring 15.

When the screw plug 14 is removed, the plug 8 of the tap can beextracted through the end of the housing 1, the plug-in connection 8a,12 being thereby released by axial withdrawal, the plug-in connection8a, 12 being re-established as the plug 8 or a replacement plug isinserted again into the housing 1.

Between the plug 8 and the lock cylinder 9, the housing 1 incorporates apartition la containing a central hole through which the rotary smalldiameter portion Ila of the locking component 11 passes. The partition1a also contains at least one hole through which a screw 16 can bescrewed, from the side that faces towards the plug 8, into the end ofthe lock cylinder 9 shaped disc 18 through which the rotary smalldiameter portion la passes, is fitted within the housing 1 and acts inconjunction with packing rings 17 and 19 which provide seals between thedisc and the portion 11a and housing 1 respectively. The disc 18 can bepushed into the housing 1 from the end that accommodates the plug 8until it comes up against a stop 1b which may take the form of ashoulder, for instance, produced by a reduction in the inside diameterof the housing 1 between the plug 8 and the partition 1a. The disc 18 isthus secured in the housing 1 against movement towards the lock cylinder9 and constitutes a second partition in the housing 1 between the screw16 and the plug 8. Instead of the compression spring 15 shown in thedrawing, between the plug 8 and the screw plug 14, a set screw passingthrough the latter might be provided, with provision for adjustment andlocking, with which to press the plug 8 into the bore of the housing 1which tapers to match the plug 8. The fuel tap might also be providedwith three pipe connections, one for intake and the other two fordistribution to two carburetors. Additionally, the screw 16 and thescrew plug 14 of the tap housing 1 might be joined to the latter byso-called cold welding or with contact adhesives and thus givenparticularly effective protection against unauthorized removal.

The effective seal provided between the lock cylinder and the plugcomponent of the fuel tap makes it possible, as in FIG. 2, to use a plug8 which is not only substantially cylindrical, but may even, if desired,form a loose fit in an appropriate tap housing 1' bearing against thisthrough the agency of a roller-action hearing 20. This makes the plug 8very east to turn with the key 10. It is true, of course, that the loosefit of the plug 8 in the housingl' would permit some slight flow of fuelthrough the fuel pipe 7 when the fuel tap was in the of position. Thoughthe amount of fuel removed by unauthorized persons as a result of thisslight flow would necessarily be very small, even this can be en-'tirely prevented at little additional cost. To that end, the plug 8' ofthe tap contains two intersecting bores 8a and 8b, the former beingbrought into alignment with the fuel pipe 7 when the tap is open and thelatter when it is closed. The plug bore 8b contains two sliding valvebodies such as the ball valves for example, with a compression spring8d, or some other equivalent device between them, which seeks to forcethem towards the interior wall of the housing lJWhen the plug 8' is inthe off position, the balls 80' or the like are thrust against valveseatings 1b, screwed into the openings in the housing 1 at the points ofentry of the fuel pipe 7, so as to form seals. Each seating 1b is fittedwith a sealing ring, lba' to mate with the balls 80 or the like.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the packing rings 17 and 19 arefitted to a ring-shaped disc 18' which is prevented from moving towardsthe lock cylinder 9 by being held against the partition 1a in thehousing 1' and from turning in relation to the lock cylinder by means ofthe screw 16 by virtue of the screwhead being accommodated, for example,in a recess 18a in the disc. A pin 21 with its longitudinal center lineparallel to that of the locking component 11a is screwed into the disc18' and engages in an arc-shaped groove, 82' in the top end face of theplug 8' of the tap. In the example shown, this groove extends through 90of arc and jointly with the pin 21 sets a limit to the rotation of theplug 8 of the tap.

The recess 18a in the disc 18' is a blind hole so that screw 16 iscovered towards the plug 8 by the disc 18'. A circlip 22 is fitted tothat end beyond of the lock cylinder 9 which projects beyond the disc18' towards the plug 8'. Before the lock cylinder 9 can be withdrawnfrom the key end of the tap housing 1, the following time-consumingsteps must be carried out in proper sequence:

1. Removal of the screw plug 14', secured by cold welding or contactadhesive to the tap housing 1'; 2. Withdrawal of the plug 8 from thehousing 1'; 3. Removal the circlip 11 from the end 11a of the lockcylinder 9;

4. Extraction of the disc 18' from the housing 1'; and

5. Release of the screw 16, secured by cold welding or contact adhesiveto the housing 1'. In this connection, the partition la shouldpreferably contain a further hole for a second screw 16 on the otherside, this screw being engaged in a corresponding threaded hole in thelock cylinder 9.

By way of departure from the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the plug 8'of the tap might be fitted with only one valve body 8c, thrust towardsthe interior wall of the housing 1' by the compression spring 8d or thelike, the housing 1 being equipped with only one valve seating lb,preferably in the opening of the fuel pipe 7 on the intake side. Theplug 8', moreover, instead of having a roller-action bearing 20, mightbe arranged to turn in a low-friction plain bearing in the tap housing1' and/or might contain only the bore 8b accommodating the valve body80', in conjunction with at least one passage in its cylindrical facethrough which fuel could pass when in the On" position.

I claim:

1. A shut off fuel tap for motor vehicles or the like comprising, a taphousing, a lock cylinder rotatably mounted in said housing adjacent oneend thereof, a shut off plug rotatably mounted in said housing adjacentthe other end thereof and generally coaxially arranged with said lockcylinder, said cylinder having means for the insertion of a key means,said cylinder also having a locking component engageable with said shutoff plug for turning movement thereof, said locking component includinga portion of reduced diameter which is smaller in diameter than theinner end of said lock cylinder, said portion extending beyond said lockcylinder, releasable connecting means between said tap housing and saidcylinder for securing said cylinder against rotation in said taphousing, and sealing means located between that portion of said lockingcomponent and said tap housing.

2. A fuel tap as defined in claim 1 having disengagable andinterengagable means between said locking component portion and saidshut off plug, and a partition in said housing and through which saidlocking component portion passes, and a removable screw plug in saidhousing and at that end adjacent to said shut off plug whereby thelatter can be removed from said housing, and means on said screw plugfor removal thereof by a special tool.

3. A fuel tap as claimed in claim 2 in which said partition contains atleast one hole, and a screw extendable through said hole from the plugside 18 screwed into the adjacent end of the lock cylinder so as tosecure the latter against rotation in said tap housing.

4. A fuel tap as claimed in claim 3 in which the tap housingincorporates a second partition between the shut-off plug and the screw,said rotary locking component extends through said second partition, anda packing ring interposed between the second partition and the lockingcomponent.

5. A fuel tap as claimed in claim 4 in which the second partition in thetap housing consists of a ringshaped disc which is mechanicallyprevented from moving towards the lock cylinder and is sealed to theinterior wall of the tap housing by a second packing ring.

6. A fuel tap as claimed in claim 5 in which the ringshaped disc issecured against sliding in relation to the partition and against turningin relation to the screw by the screw head being accommodated in arecess in the disc.

7. A fuel tap as claimed in claim 2 in which the housing screw plug issealed to the tap housing and secured to it.

8. A fuel tap as claimed in claim 1 in which the shutoff plug forms aloose fit in the tap housing and contains intersection bores, one ofwhich is equipped with at least one valve body, a spring urges saidvalve body against the interior wall of the tap housing when the valveis in the On position and against a valve seating when in the Offposition.

9. A fuel tap as claimed in claim 8 in which the valve seating in thetap housing is fitted with a seal designed to mate with the valve bodyin the shut-off plug.

* III III

1. A shut off fuel tap for motor vehicles or the like comprising, a taphousing, a lock cylinder rotatably mounted in said housing adjacent oneend thereof, a shut off plug rotatably mounted in said housing adjacentthe other end thereof and generally coaxially arranged with said lockcylinder, said cylinder having means for the insertion of a key means,said cylinder also having a locking component engageable with said shutoff plug for turning movement thereof, said locking component includinga portion of reduced diameter which is smaller in diameter than theinner end of said lock cylinder, said portion extending beyond said lockcylinder, releasable connecting means between said tap housing and saidcylinder for securing said cylinder against rotation in said taphousing, and sealing means located between that portion of said lockingcomponent and said tap housing.
 2. A fuel tap as defined in claim 1having disengagable and interengagable means between said lockingcomponent portion and said shut off plug, and a partition in saidhousing and through which said locking component portion passes, and aremovable screw plug in said housing and at that end adjacent to saidshut off plug whereby the latter can be removed from said housing, andmeans on said screw plug for removal thereof by a special tool.
 3. Afuel tap as claimed in claim 2 in which said partition contains at leastone hole, and a screw extendable through said hole from the plug side isscrewed into the adjacent end of the lock cylinder so as to secure thelatter against rotation in said tap housing.
 4. A fuel tap as claimed inclaim 3 in which the tap housing incorporates a second partition betweenthe shut-off plug and the screw, said rotary locking component extendsthrough said second partition, and a packing ring interposed between thesecond partition and the locking component.
 5. A fuel tap as claimed inclaim 4 in which the second partition in the tap housing consists of aring-shaped disc which is mechanically prevented from moving towards thelock cylinder and is sealed to the interior wall of the tap housing by asecond packing ring.
 6. A fuel tap as claimed in claim 5 in which thering-shaped disc is secured against sliding in relation to the partitionand against turning in relation to the screw by the screw head beingaccommodated in a recess in the disc.
 7. A fuel tap as claimed in claim2 in which the housing screw plug is sealed to the tap housing andsecured to it.
 8. A fuel tap as claimed in claim 1 in which the shut-offplug forms a loose fit in the tap housing and contains intersectionbores, one of which is equipped with at least one valve body, a springurges said valve body against the interior wall of the tap housing whenthe valve is in the ''''On'''' position and against a valve seating whenin the ''''Off'''' position.
 9. A fuel tap as claimed in claim 8 inwhich the valve seating in the tap housing is fitted with a sealdesigned to mate with the valve body in the shut-off plug.